Automatic night-lamp fixture



Feb, 12 1924. 11,48Efi26 A. J. HEITZ AUTOMATIC NIGHT LAMP FIXTURE File y 31. 1922 A TTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 12, 1924.

sTAT s ALBERT J'. HEITZ; 0F VINCENNES, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC NIGHT-LAMP FIXTURE.

Application filed May 31, 1922. Serial No. 564,842.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I. ALBERT J. Hnrrz. a citizen of the United States, residing at Vincennes. in the county of Knox and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Night- Lalnp Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention appertains to certain improvements in electric lamp fixtures or receptacles generally, and more particularly to a plural socket type thereof.

The principal object of the invention is to provide for a fixture or receptacle of the class mentioned, and one particularly adapted for use as a night lighting medium for stores and the like, whereby a single lamp may be left burning for the purpose of lighting the interior of the store sufiiciently for pedestrians or authorized night watchmen to view the interior of the store at all times during the night for the purpose of preventing the committing of a burglary thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a fixture or receptacle of the type set forth, and one involving the use of two or more electric lamps therewith and an automatic switching means admitting. of the initial lighting of one of the lamps only, but which will automatically operate to cut into the circuit of a second lamp in the event of the burning out of the other or initially lighted lamp, whereby the desired continuous lighting ofan interior will be maintained with a degree of assurance and certainty not possible in the resent manner of providing night lights 0 this character.

A further object of the invention is to provide for an automatic night lamp fixture of the class mentioned, and one of an extremely simplified construction and arrangement, capable of being easily installed,

highly efiicient in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture;

With the foregoing and other equally important objects in view, the invention resides in the certain novel and useful construction and arrangement as Will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through the preferred embodiment of the device,

Figure 2 is a similar section taken at right angles to thatof Figure 1. and.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatical plan view of electrical connections thereon.

Referring to the drawing. the numeral 10 indicates a base formed of suitable insulation material, preferably circular in plan,

and having a plug like extension 11 disposed at one side thereof and concentrically with respect thereto. The peripheral edge of the body 10, at the side thereof opposite to the plug extension 11, is formed to provide a flanged portion 12. having an annular groove 13 formed in its outer peripheral edge for the seating therein of the beaded edge 14 of a semi-spherical metal portion or inverted dome-like body 15. Formed centrally of the body within the confines of the flanged portion 12 thereof, is an enlarged portion 16 of the body which is dis.-

posed substantially in alinement with the.

plug-like extension 11 at the opposite side thereof. I

Housed within the hollowed out center of the portion 16 of the body 10, is an electromagnet, 17, which is mounted within a substantially U-shaped iron yoke 18, secured within the body portion 16 by means of a screw 19, the electro-magnet 17 being secured the poles of the magnets 17 and 18, which is secured to but insulated from the upper of the portions of the iron yoke 18. The end of the spring, from which the armature is supported, is likewise insulated from but secured to the amature 21.

Passed centrally through the plug extension 11 of the body 10 1s a center contact 23, which has its outer end disposed flush in the outer end extension 11 for the purpose of making contact with the usual center contact of a lamp socket or receptacle of or i y f r she and s inner end disposed in'contact with the insulated end of the spring 22 carried by the iron yoke. 18. Surrounding the plug 11 is a screwthreaded metal shell 24, which is adapted to be threaded into the similarly threaded metal shell of the ordinary form of electric lamp socket or receptacle aforesaid, and leading through the plug extension from its point of electrical connection with this metal shell 24 is a conductor 25 having its inner end electrically connecting a contact strip 26 secured on the longitudinalcenter of the lower end wall of the body portion 16 by means of a screw 27. This strip 26 has its opposite ends angularly bent to provide contacting portions constituting the center contacts for the abutting against the same of the centercontacts of a pair of lamps 28 and 28 which are threaded inwardly of a pair of screw threaded metal shells 29 and 29 seated in angular relation one with respect to the other inwardly of a pair of insulating bushings 30 and 30 secured in suitably formed openings in the metal cover portion 15, substantially as is shown. These metal shells 29 and 29 are mechanically and electrically connected to pairs of metal contact members 31 and 31 secured in spaced relation to either side of the lower end portion of the body portion 16. The contact 31 is electrically connected to the 'coil of the electro-magnet 17 by having one end of the coil secured thereto by means of a binding screw 32, while the other end of the coil is fastened as at 33 in electrical contact with the spring 22. The contact plate 31 is provided with an upstanding angularly bent contact extension 34 which is contacted by the lower extended end portion of the spring 22, when the electro-magnet 17 is deenergized and at which point the circuit is broken to the lamp 28f when the electro-magnet 17 is energized, as

during the burning of the lamp 28.

In the operation of the device, after the same has beenv installed in the desired location within a bank building or store, the

lamp 28 will be threaded inwardly of the shell 29 for the lighting of the same. Current will now flow from the center contact 23 to the spring 22, the coil of the electromagnet 17, the contact screw 32, the contact plate 31, the metal shell 29, the filament of the lamp 28, to the contact strip 26, by way of aconductor 25 to the screw threaded metal 24 and back to line. With theele'ctro-magnet 17 energized, the circuit to the lamp 28 will be broken between the contact extension34, of the contact plate 31',

land the lower end of the spring 22, the

armature 21 being attracted to and maintainedin abutted relation against'the' pole faces of the iron yoke 18. Now in the event of the burning out of the filament of the lamp 28, the electro-magnet 17 will be de- ,gized,

metal shell 24 and back to line.

Fromthe foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the invention provides for an extremely simple means whereby to assure of the continuous operation of lighting mediums, and that, while the same has been described particularly for use as an automatic means for lighting the interior of a bank, store or the like at night for purposes of permitting the observation of the interior of the bank or store by law abiding or enforcing persons for the lessening of the possible chance of burglary being committed therein, the device is capable ofl many other adaptations and uses, such as in connection: with semaphore signals, targets and the like along railroads, or in places. wherein severev losses financially and otherwise might obtain in the event in the failure in the ordinary lighting systems thereof. 1

It is wellunderstood that, while a preferred embodiment of the automatic lighting device has been described and illustrated herein in specific terms and details of construction and arrangement, various changes in and modifications of the same may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the claims appended, hereto.

'.Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed, is

- 1. An electric light fixture comprising a contact strip in circuit with a source of electrical supply, a pair of lamps in electrical contact with said strip, a pair of conducting members each electrically connected with a lamp and one provided with an exten sion, an iron yoke, an electro-ihagnet arranged within said yoke and including an armature, a conducting element in circuit with said source and formed ,of a fixed and a resilient part, said fixed part secured to and insulated fromsaid yoke and electrically connected with the coil of said magnet, said/resilient part carried by and in' sulated from said armature and cooperating with said extension and normally out of contact withv said extension when the magnet is energized and contacting with said extension to close the circuit to one of the lam s when the magnet is de-eneran circuit forming. connections leading from'the other of said members to weaves the coil of the magnet to close the circuit to the other of said lamps when the iii-agent is energized.

2. An electric light fixture comprising a contact strip in circuit with a source of electrical supply, a pair of lamps in electrical contact with said strip, a pair of con ducting members each electrically connected with a lamp and one provided with an extension, an iron yoke, an electro-magnet arranged within said yoke and including an armature, a conducting element in circuit with said source and formed of a fixed and a resilient part, said fixed part secured to and insulated from said yoke and electrically connected with the coil of said magnet, said resilient part carried by and insulated from said armature and cooperating with said extension and normally out of contact with said extension when the magnet is energized and contacting with said extension to close the circuit a to one of the lamps when the magnet is de-energized, circuit forming connections leading from the other of said members to the coil of the magnet to close the circuit to the other of said lamps when the mag net is energized, a body portion of insulation provided with a chambered extension having said yoke and magnet arranged therein, and socket forming members supported from said body portion and each receiving one of said lamps 3. An electric light receptacle comprising an insulated body, plug attaching means formed with said body at one side thereof, a pair of lamp receiving sockets carried at the other side of said body, lamps mounted in said sockets and electrically connected in circuit whereby one of said lamps will, be initially lighted, a chambered exension arranged within said insulatingbody between the inner ends of the lamps, a magnetic device arranged in the chamber of said extension and electrically connected in circuit with the initially lighted lamp, and a switching means including a fixed and a resilient part, said fixed part secured within said chamber and electrically connected with said magnetic device, and said resilient part co-acting with the other of said lamps to light it when the magnetic device is passive caused by the burning out or breakage of the filament of the said initially lighted lamp.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

BERT J. HEITZ. I 

